Change
by aarrimas
Summary: Fleur Delacour has already gone through one massive change. Can she handle another?


**Disclaimer; nothing you recognise belongs to me**

**A/N: For the International Wizarding School Championship. I used the prompt 'Fleur Delacour'. **

**Word Count: 1352**

* * *

I shiver, the cold breeze causing the hairs on my arms to stand up. The wind is too harsh and less forgiving when the winter comes. It makes my teeth chatter and my legs wobble. It's just one of the many reasons that I prefer summer.

I quickly wrap my arms around my chest as a way to protect myself and head towards the house, where everything is nice and warm. On days like this, I barely go out. It's just too cold and too much work. It's not worth it. So, me being outside right now by choice, is a massive rarity.

The small cabin is next to the lake and sits behind the trees. It's hidden and almost impossible to stumble upon. When I first started looking for houses, this was the one that stuck out to me most. It's homey and comfortable and casual. It's what I always wanted.

I open the door, the heat hitting me pretty much as soon as I enter. The house is almost silent, the faint buzzing of the heater providing background noise to the stillness.

I take off my shoes and place them in the corner without thinking about it. It's just automatic. When I was living at home, my mama would always remind us to take off our shoes before entering the house. And I always used to complain about it or forget to do it altogether, but now I don't even know that I'm doing it.

I've been living by myself for a year now, and I like to think I'm a lot more independent because of it. Before I was too reliant, too dependent. I expected a lot from my parents, perhaps too much. Now though, I don't expect anything.

I had always thought that I needed help or that I needed people to remind me to do things. I couldn't even imagine being by myself. But now, I know better. I know that I am capable, that I can do things that I thought I couldn't. I just hope that I stay that way.

* * *

A sharp knock at the door causes me to jump, my heart racing and my thoughts jumbled as I look around me. I breathe a sigh of relief as I spot Lucien, our family's owl. I unlock the window and open it slightly, careful not to let too much cold air in.

We've had Lucien ever since I was only young and seeing him makes my heart pang with familiarity. He looks pretty much the same since when I last saw him, and that in itself shows me that not everything has changed. Maybe somethings are just meant to stay the same. And I kind of like that.

I untie the letter that's attached to his left leg, unravelling the paper as Lucien squawks. It's from my mama, I can tell just from the flowy handwriting and the fancy words. Everyone knows that Papa is not nearly civilised enough to write as eloquently as this.

I read quickly, muttering the words under my breath as I go. It says that I've been invited to a family dinner, that the both of them have some news for me. My heart starts to race when I read that, my mind jumping to the worst conclusions and accepting them as facts.

I take a deep breath before going to fetch some parchment from my room so I can write back. Maybe, the news is going to be good. Maybe, I am worrying over nothing. It wouldn't be the first time, and I doubt it's going to be the last.

I just need some things to stay the same, some things to be free from change. And my family are one of those things.

* * *

I tug at the end of my dress, praying that it's good enough this time. I can still remember the last time I had dinner with my family. My mama was wearing her fanciest gown that night, along with her fluffiest coat. She looked absolutely stunning, there was no question about it.

When her gaze turned towards me, wearing my simple cardigan and skirt, her face fell into a grimace. She didn't say anything or do anything, her smile just wasn't nearly as vibrant as it once was. The whole night, I wanted the floor to melt beneath me. I don't want that to happen again.

I knock on the door, my stomach filling with butterflies just at the thought of seeing my family again. Ever since I moved out I've probably only seen my family a handful of times. I miss them. Even though I try to tell myself that I don't.

My sister answers the door, her bright blue eyes filled with joy and a jump in her step as she bounces around. She looks the same, her hair still long and blonde and her features still small and petite. The only thing that might be different is her height. But even then, there isn't much of a change.

I reach forward and wrap my arms around her shoulders, tears rushing to my eyes as I realise just how long it's been.

"Hey, Gabi. How have you been?"

"Hey, pretty good I guess. You?"

I shrug, shutting the door behind me before taking off my shoes. I follow my sister to the living room, my parents' voices echoing around the house. I see them before they notice me, the two of them too engaged in their conversation to really notice anything.

I smile at the sight of them, my mama still as passionate as she was before and my papa still as stubborn. It's comforting. Everything about my family is comforting. The familiarity makes me happy, it gives me the certainty that I am otherwise lacking. It makes me feel safe.

My mama hushes my papa and turns her head, finally laying eyes on me and my presence. She gasps before rushing towards me and wrapping her arms around me. My papa doesn't wait too long before doing the same and for a while, we all just stay there.

"Fleur, my baby girl, how are you?" My mama asks while letting go, pressing one last kiss on my forehead before heading back.

I shrug with a smile, "Can't complain I guess."

My papa nods. "That's always good."

"Yeah, it is."

My mama smiles. "Look at us all, together once again. Isn't it nice?"

"Yes Appoline, it is. But that doesn't mean we can't lose focus on what we're really here for."

My mother rolls her eyes, before gesturing for everyone to sit down.

"What do you mean Papa? What's going on?"

My voice has turned frantic and desperate, my mind running through every possible reason we could be here tonight.

"Nothing Fleur. Just don't worry about what your papa says, he doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Appoline I thought we agreed."

"Can we just eat first Jean! Can everyone please just sit down and eat the food that I've made."

Gabrielle's eyes dart back towards her food and I follow suit. My mama is not the type of woman people want to anger. My mama's temper is legendary, her silence is loud and her stares are blinding. She commands the attention of the whole room whenever she's angry, so it's easy to see why my papa never causes a fuss.

We all finish our food in silence, no one wanting to be the first to talk for fear of angering my mama. My papa though, well he has never been that good at reading people.

"So Fleur," he begins, placing his fork down next to his plate, "your mama and I have some news."

I look at him, my heart pumping at what feels like a million miles a minute.

"Yes?"

"We've found a job for you. A good one actually. But it's in England."

My mouth drops and my eyes go wide. What on earth is going on? And how am I going to manage this?


End file.
